Coupling device for a golf putter

ABSTRACT

A coupling device is adapted for use in a golf putter. The golf putter includes a shaft and a head. The coupling device is adapted for interconnecting the shaft and the head, and includes a first coupling member and a second coupling member. The first coupling member is adapted to be connected to the shaft. The second coupling member is adapted to be connected to the head, and is pivotally connected to the first coupling member so that an angle between the shaft and the head is adjustable.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Taiwanese Patent Application No. 106214279, filed on Sep. 26, 2017.

FIELD

The disclosure relates to a coupling device, and more particularly to a coupling device for a golf putter.

BACKGROUND

According to distance that a golfer desires to hit, a golf club fitting such distance is selected from different types thereof by the golfer during play. Referring to FIG. 1, generally, a conventional golf putter 1 includes a shaft 11 and a head 12 that is connected to a bottom end of the shaft 11. When the head 12 is placed on the ground, an angle (A) called lie angle is defined between the ground and an inclined upper portion of the shaft 11 (which is to be gripped by a user). The angle (A) is a factor that affects the accuracy of golf shots, so that golfers having different body sizes or stances to swing should select golf putters having different lie angles. However, since the shaft 11 and the head 12 are fixedly connected to each other and are non-rotatable relative to each other, the angle (A) of the conventional golf putter 1 is not adjustable.

SUMMARY

Therefore, an object of the disclosure is to provide a coupling device for a golf putter that can alleviate the drawback associated with the abovementioned prior art.

Accordingly, the coupling device is adapted for use in a golf putter. The golf putter includes a shaft and a head. The coupling device is adapted for interconnecting the shaft and the head. The coupling device includes a first coupling member and a second coupling member. The first coupling member is adapted to be connected to the shaft. The second coupling member is adapted to be connected to the head, and is pivotally connected to the first coupling member, so that an angle between the shaft and the head is adjustable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side view of a conventional golf putter;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side view of an embodiment of a coupling device according to the present disclosure interconnecting a shaft and a head of a golf putter;

FIG. 3 is an exploded sectional view of the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an assembled sectional view, illustrating a pivot joint of the embodiment in a lock position;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but illustrating the pivot joint in an unlock position; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but illustrating that the shaft of the golf putter and the ground defines a different angle therebetween.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, an embodiment of a coupling device 4 according to the present disclosure is adapted for use in a golf putter 3. The golf putter 3 includes a shaft 31 and a head 32. The coupling device 4 is adapted for interconnecting the shaft 31 and the head 32. The coupling device 4 includes a first coupling member 41, a second coupling member 42, a pivot joint 43, and a securing member 44.

In this embodiment, the first coupling member 41 has a connecting portion 411 defining a connecting groove 410 that is adapted for insertion of the shaft 31, and an extension portion 412 connected to the connecting portion 411 and being formed with a threaded groove. The second coupling member 42 is adapted to be connected to the head 32, and is pivotally connected to the first coupling member 41, so that an angle between the shaft 31 and the head 32 is adjustable. The second coupling member 42 has a top portion formed with a receiving groove 421 and a coupling groove 422 that is laterally opposite to and spatially communicates with the receiving groove 421, and a bottom end formed with an upwardly-extending fastening groove 423. The extension portion 412 of the first coupling member 41 engages the receiving groove 421 of the second coupling member 42.

The pivot joint 43 interconnects the first and second coupling members 41, 42. Specifically, the pivot joint 43 has a head portion 431 engaging the coupling groove 422 of the second coupling member 42, and a stem portion 432 extending from the head portion 431 and threadedly and releasably connected to the extension portion 412 of the first coupling member 41. The securing member 44 is adapted to extend upwardly into the head 32 of the golf putter 3 and engages threadedly the fastening groove 423 of the second coupling member 42, so as to secure the second coupling member 42 onto the head 32.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 4, and 5, in this embodiment, the pivot joint 43 is configured as a screw and is operable to convert between a lock position (see FIG. 4) and an unlock position (see FIG. 5). When the pivot joint 43 is in the lock position, the second coupling member 42 is in tight contact with the first coupling member 41, so that pivot action of the second coupling member 42 relative to the first coupling member 41 is not permitted. When the pivot joint 43 is rotated to be released from the lock position to the unlock position, the pivot action of the second coupling member 42 is permitted. It should be noted that, a gap is shown in FIG. 5 between the first and second coupling members 41, 42 for illustrating that the second coupling member 42 is released from the first coupling member 41. The pivot action of the second coupling member 42 relative to the first coupling member 41 may be performed without the gap therebetween as long as the first and second coupling members 41, 42 are not in tight contact with each other (i.e., the friction between the first and second coupling members 41, 42 is significantly reduced).

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, and 6, when the head 32 is placed on a ground with the shaft 31 extending upwardly, a lie angle (B) between the ground and the shaft 31 can be adjusted by rotating the pivot joint 43 to the unlock position and pivoting the first coupling member 41 and the shaft 31 relative to the second coupling member 42. Finally, the pivot joint 43 is reversely rotated to the lock position so that the desired lie angle (B) can be maintained. As a result, due to the configuration of the coupling device 4 of this embodiment according to the present disclosure, the lie angle (B) can be easily adjusted to meet the user's requirement, thereby improving convenience during use. In addition, since the lie angle (B) of the golf putter 3 is generally 68, 70, 72, 74, or 76 degrees, a scale (not shown) may be marked on the first and second coupling members 41, 42 for facilitating adjustment of the lie angle (B).

In the description above, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiment. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that one or more other embodiments may be practiced without some of these specific details. It should also be appreciated that reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” an embodiment with an indication of an ordinal number and so forth means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic may be included in the practice of the disclosure. It should be further appreciated that in the description, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of various inventive aspects.

While the disclosure has been described in connect ion with what is considered the exemplary embodiment, it is understood that his disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A coupling device adapted for use in a golf putter, the golf putter including a shaft and a head, said coupling device being adapted for interconnecting the shaft and the head and comprising: a first coupling member that is adapted to be connected to the shaft; and a second coupling member that is adapted to be connected to the head, and that is pivotally connected to said first coupling member so that an angle between the shaft and the head is adjustable.
 2. The coupling device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a pivot joint that interconnects said first and second coupling members, and that is operable to convert between a lock position, where said second coupling member is in tight contact with said first coupling member so that pivot action of said second coupling member relative to said first coupling member is not permitted, and an unlock position, where pivot action of said second coupling member relative to said first coupling member is permitted.
 3. The coupling device as claimed in claim 2, wherein: said second coupling member is formed with a receiving groove, and a coupling groove spatially communicating with said receiving groove; said first coupling member has a connecting portion defining a connecting groove that is adapted for insertion of the shaft, and an extension portion connected to said connecting portion and engaging said receiving groove of said second coupling member; and said pivot joint has a head portion engaging said coupling groove of said second coupling member, and a stem portion extending from said head portion, and threadedly and releasably connected to said extension portion of said first coupling member.
 4. The coupling device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a securing member adapted to extend upwardly into the head and connected fixedly to a bottom end of said second coupling member. 